Lexmark x6170 Printer keeps giving me a message that the color cartridge is missing. I put a new cartridge in the printer. I removed the plastic protector film from the cartridge. What is wrong? How can I fix this problem?

Try cleaning the contacts on the cartridge with an alcohol wipe. These are the coppery things on the side adjacent to where the ink comes out.
Make sure that you are using the correct cartridge and try it with a genuine Lexmark cartridge rather than a remanufactured/refilled.

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This may be a problem with your ink cartridge connection.
Take out the cartridge, and you'll see copper tabs that are connection points for your printer. Clean those connection points off with a cotton cloth, maybe wetted just barely.
The place that you put the cartridge in the printer has the same copper tabs that the cartridge has. Clean those as well.
Put the ink cartridge back in and see if it is detected.
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"Error 50c". They do, however, mention a "Cartridge Error" on page 52 of the manual. They claim this means that the printer has detected a short circuit (fuse/resister) in the cartridge. As you may or may not have noticed in the manual, this is what they recommend doing about it:

1) Press Power to turn the printer off.

2) Lift the printer cover/lid (scanner unit) until the scanner support holds it open.

3) Turn the printer on.The ink cartridge carrier moves and stops at the loading position unless the printer is busy.

4) Remove the color ink cartridge.

5) Lower the printer (scanner unit) until it is completely closed.If the error message displays again, replace the black cartridge with a new black cartridge.

If the error message does not display, repeat steps 1–3 and then go to step 6.

6) Reinstall the color cartridge and remove the black ink cartridge.

7) Lower the printer (scanner unit) until it is completely closed.

If the error message displays again, replace the color cartridge with a newcolor cartridge.If there is no error message (indicated by flashing lights), repeat steps 1–3 and then reinstall both ink cartridges.8) Lower the printer (scanner unit) until it is completely closed.

If you get the error message again, while both cartridges are installed, replace both of the cartridges.

Basically, what they want you to determine is,....if the short circuit is with the "black ink" cartridge or the "color ink" cartridge and then replace the cartridge that has the problem.

You may have to buy a new cartrige.Please all I ask is call back and just gave a vote, it will gave me some satisfaction to know am helping some one, so I will keep on helping.
All The Best: Pineworks

The error is telling you that the color or black cartridge is missing. It's not recognizing one of your cartridges, most probably the new black cartridge. Here's a link to the Lexmark website to guide you on what to do with that problem. http://bit.ly/bkCWPF

Remove the color ink cartridge and double check that the plastic tape, which you removed from the cartridge is completely removed. I've noticed that sometimes a small piece of the protective tape tears and stay stuck on the cartridge causing the printer to give a false error. When replacing the cartridge be sure its fully inserted into the color cartridge holder and the locking mechanism locks securely.

The ultimate permanent fix for the x6170 printer would be to purchase
new cartridge snap-down levers (the levers that snap down inside the
dell printer to hold the cartridges, blue for color and black for
black). If you purchase snap down levers for a Lexmark printer series
X5100 or X6100 or Z55 or Z65, the little guide peg inside the snap
lever would work with an unmodified 83 and 82 Lexmark cartridge. All
Lexmark did for Dell to make the Dell unique, was to put special Dell
snap levers on the printer. I considered breaking off the little guide
peg on the snap lever, but decided against it as it appears to help
hold the cartridge in alignment

Hi Marty, naughty printer. It is not reading your new cartridge. Clean your printer with own program and if this faild do it youself with cotton tips and proper cleaning solution. Try printing now. Dn't forget to reset ink and cartridge settings for new ones. cheers lilac gerry xxx